Thread advancing reel



Nov. 25, 1952 K. M. M LELLAN THREAD ADVANCING REEL 2 SHEETSSHEET Filed Sept. 24, 1949 INVENTOR. KENNETH M. MCLELLAN Nov. 25, 1952 M. MOLELLAN 2,618,837

THREAD ADVANCING REEL Filed Sept. 24, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR. KENNETH M. Mo LELLAN ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 25, 1952 THREAD ADVANCING REEL Kenneth M. McLellan, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Industrial Rayon Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application September 24, 1949, Serial No. 117,650

6 Claims. (01. 28-71.7)

This invention relates to thread advancing reels and more particularly, to reels having peripheries formed of a plurality of bar members used in the processing of the thread and the like.

In the spinning of filamentary material such as viscose rayon yarn, thread and the like, the filamentary material is withdrawn from a liquid bath by a take-up or withdrawing reel, and then it is led for further processing to subsequent reels or collecting or treating stations. Because of discontinuous peripheries of bar type reels the thread, during certain processing steps, is subject to barre affects which it is desirable to eliminate. There is a tendency toward barre in the initial Withdrawing period for along with the thread there is also withdrawn amounts of liquid from the bath that is carried onto the reel to disturb normal contact of the still tender thread with the bar members because of an intervening layer of liquid between the reel bar surfaces and irregular thread and bar contact.

At a nominal spinning rate of about 80 meters per minute and using about five inch diameter bar-type reels of the type described in the Knebusch Patent 2,210,914, the volume of withdrawn bath liquids is not objectionable since not too great a quantity of bath liquids adheres to the thread; and the excess can be wiped off prior to the take-up reel substantially without injury or alteration of subsequent desirable thread characteristics. At increased speeds, however, the withdrawn thread tends to carry greater quantities of bath liquids so that a wiping device is not desirable since it introduces drag, and it becomes ineffective; also the yarn only intermittently contacts the wiping device because of the increased adhering liquid to affect the thread characteristics, for instance, dyeing. Further, should no wiping device be used at increased speeds the bath liquids nevertheless have been found to be objectionable on the reels since they tend to disturb the travel of the thread on the take-up reel because of intermittent contact with the supporting bars to aiiect dyeing characteristics.

Also in a further processing step, that of drying, barre efiects tend to appear because of initial intermittent contact with the spaced hot bars of a drier reel. The thread in its initial travel over a heated reel, rests on heated spaced supports and the supported thread sections are first dried while the intervening unsupported lengths are dried later. This initial unequal drying tends, also, to affect thread dyeing characteristics.

Thread advancing deviceshaving peripheries of spaced interdigitating bars are advantageously utilized in the processing of thread since they comprise efiicient and unitary structures that occupy a minimum of space, and also, they are adapted to advantageous arrangements facilitating the processing of thread. The spacing of thread contact areas of bar members, however, provides for a discontinuous circular support which is disadvantageous in the aforesaid processing steps. Excess liquid will adhere to the unsupported thread section while other quantities are forced outwardly in the supported sections. Eventually, of course, the entire length of the thread in its travel will be subjected to support by the bar members but the initial intermittent contact generally affects the thread in a manner so as to form barre.

This invention advantageously provides for a modified reel of the Knebusch type, although it is not limited thereto, that is adapted as a processing reel, a take-up or withdrawing reel, and as a drier reel. As a withdrawing reel it will substantially immediately throw off the spin bath liquids that are carried onto its periphery by the widthdrawn thread and yet provide for sufficient thread travel control. The reel is used, generally, without a previous thread wiping guide. The periphery of the reel comprises a plurality of thread storing and advancing bar members having initial tapered portions at the thread takeup end, then normal thread contacting portions for the remainder of their lengths. The taper of the bars provides for a minimum thread contacting area thus, a minimum liquid adhering. area while the subsequent full sized sections provide for a full support of the thread to give proper control of travel and, if desired, to enable a fur? ther liquid treatment of the yarn while it is still on the reel. By minimizing the initial thread contact area of the bar members and by their taper, the spin bath fluids are flung ofi substantially immediately. When such bars form the periphery of a drier reel of the type described in Patent 2,294,866 or one similar thereto wet thread is more slowly heated so that it is substantially entirely of the same temperature by the time it passes over the full heated bars. The gradual heating advantageously dries the thread more uniformly.

Either one or both sets of bars forming a reel can be tapered. The bar taper generally is desirable only for that portion of the reel that is sufficient to throw off the bath liquids or to precondition the thread by slowly heating it, and thereafter the bars can be of normal contacting areas; the return to a normal contacting area permits a better control of the yarn on a reel, particularly, if a liquid treatment is to be applied.

The reel of this invention is described in further detail in the following specification in connection with the accompanying drawing, where:

Fig. 1'. .represents'a .schematic arrangement of a portion of a yarn, thread or the like spinning machine;

Figure 2 represents the withdrawing reel in front elevation;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of thewithdrawing reel of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a section in elevationof .the reelof Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a cross section .ofFigure 3. taken along lines 5-5.

Referring to the drawing there is shown positioned in a coagulating bath ID a spinneret ll iatstheiend of. a viscose rayonconducting mass "tube .42. Viscose is extruded through the spin- .neretl l intocthe bath- I to form a thread or yarn. Thethread-M iswithdrawn from the bath by a vwithdrawingor-take-up reel l positioned above the-coagulating bathlfl. The thread It is led directly: totthe reel overwhich it is'advanced .rinapluralityof generally helical turns to a desirablewtake oif point on its periphery from whenceit-is led-to a subsequent heated reel I6 .whereonitmay-be dried. A liquid treatment, for instance. a washing 1 step, advantageously can be .appliedonthe far end ofthe take-up reel l5 if desired. The threadcan'be led from a reel to a subsequent reel -;until a desirable number of processing steps'are-performed to provide a product having desirable characteristics.

-As the threadis withdrawn from the coagulating bath'lfl, it carries with it quantities of the bath liquid 10. The quantities carried increase was.theirateofwithdrawal of the thread I4 inicreases; and, depending upon the rate of carry over .ofthebathliquid, control of the .thread on thereel maybe disturbed which may result in poor ,yarn. The :dyeingcharacteristics of the yarnare also affected due to intermittent initial contact of (the still tender thread with the. bars of the vreel 15. It is desirable therefore to rid the reel vof .the excess bath liquid as quickly as possible anditominiinize wet yarn contactwith the bar members. .Since guides .before atake-up reel are not desirable oreffective in adequately eliminating-excess bath liquid the reel itself advantageouslyis adapted to rid the reel. periphery of the bath ffluidinv a. substantially. quick and .efil :cientmanner.

.iThe reel |5.-,is .ofthe type disclosed in the KnebuschBatent. 2,210,914 and the Jordan. Patent $2,210,920 and it comprises two sets of .bar members [9, formingireel membersZ l, 21a that are positioned relative each. other in. an offset and askew manner so as to, cause thread to travel in a. generalflhelix. The bar members form rigid 'reel members, one reel member.2l being concentrictothereel shaft I! while the other is positioned about an eccentric whose axis is offsetiand 'askew to the reel shaft. The ,eccentrically mounted reelmember 2Iais adapted torotate freely about its support while the concentric reel member 2|. is. firmly attached to the .reelshaft ll so thatit. is adapted torotatetherewith. Since-the .bar members interdigitate. the concentric reel member 2l.-is adapted to drive the eccentric reel membeni Ia either through-bar to 'bar contact or: through. a, suitable. gear arrangement.

The reel of Figures 3 and 4 generally comprises such an aforesaid arrangement. The bars I9 of the reel member 2| are concentric to the reel shaft ll. Bars 20 form the eccentrically positioned reel member 2 la that is attached by means of a ring 24 into which the bars merge, and which ring 24 is secured to a flange 25 by means of bolts Flange25, in turn, forms apart of sleeve 30. 'The sleeve'30 is adapted to rotate about an eccentric (not shown) that is positioned about vlithe reel shaft l1. Since the eccentric is held staiii .tionary. it. generally forms part of a reel support- "ing structure such as the flange 3| about the reel .sha'ft ll. .Thereel is then advantageously sup- :"portedIby'thefiange 3| in the face of a spinning machine. The reel i5 is driven by means of the gear 33 mountedat substantially the shaft end to which it is secured in a suitable and desirable manner for instance by a set screw 34.

The bar members I9, 20 of the reel l5 at the take-up end and for a-desired distance there- ..after .advantageouslyare tapered to a practical -minimum-which may be asnarrow as one-sixteenth inch at the periphery from a normalwidth of about one-fourth to one-half inches. The tapered sections 22, 23 of the bar members I9, 20 arenarrowed toward the yarn'bearingsurfaces to areasadapted to provide sufficient threadsupport while still permitting a substantial control of the thread. Because of the taper the'bar members 19,-20 tend to minimize the liquid-adhering area Withthe result that they more readily fling off the bath liquids since a substantial portion of liquid supporting and adhering surface has been eliminated. The direction of the taper also tends to morereadily throw off liquids. Such a reel periphery thus provides a substantially fluid-free .threadfor the-remainder of thereel and fora subsequent processing treatment. Further thread and bar contacts are minimized by such a bar construction substantially eliminating undesirable effects on the thread.

As shown in Figures 3 and 5, both sets of bars 19, 20 aretapered in the direction of thereel periphery. At increased speeds where centrifugal action is, to an-extent, depended upon to throw off the liquidsonareel the tapered bar members facilitate such a removal yet their speedof rotation need not besuch so as to depend on centrifugal forcesentirely. Where reel speeds are not of such a rate so as to carry over unusual amounts of bath fluid thena reel having a single set of tapered bar members will generally eliminate the interfering quantities of bath fluids. Where spinning speeds are increased,.however,. to rates that .tend to carry substantial quantities of a bath liquid on .to the reel,. then it is advantageous .to have all barstaperedsince liquids will be-then more readily discardedfromthe reels.

The taper of bars l9 andZO mayextend substantially throughout lengthor only for a portion. The length of the taperis, of course, dependent on the amount of fluid carried overfrom the bath, and on the speed of the reel.

In instances Where a washing treatment, or a further light acid application isdesirable on the take-up reel IF: the bar members l9, 20are advantageously brought to a normal peripheral width .to. provide suflicient thread bearing areas for holding the treatment liquids. As shown in Figure la preliminary yarn treatment-is applied to the reel [5 at substantially the opposite end of the reel from the take-up end. The thread M is made. substantiallyxfree ofthe bath liquids by .theutime .the .treatmentsis applied. "Since speeds that tend to throw ofi" treating liquids may be used a liquid treatment distributing and maintaining blanket 36 advantageously may be utilized while the distributing tube 35 applies the treatment liquid. A treatment thus may be applied, maintained, and spread over a predetermined yarn area.

The reel I6 is of generally the same construction except that is is heated by circulating a heating fluid such as steam. hot water, etc. through its interior in the manner disclosed in the Bergmann Patent 2,294,866. The bar members are advantageously tapered as those of reel I 5. Wet thread is supported on bar members having a minimum thread supporting area for a desired interval of time until the thread is predried and then progressively raised to the full bar temperature. Whatever markings are made on the thread on the reduced area bar members they are minimized in length or size and spaced so that the dyeing qualities of the thread are hardly affected. Generally processing reels for steps other than drying are reduced from a width of one-fourth inch to a sixteenth, and dryer reels from a half-inch to a sixteenth.

Iclaim:

1. A thread storing, thread advancing reel comprising two sets of interdigitating bar members cooperating in a manner so as to advance thread and the like in the form of a general helix, and both of said sets of bar members having reduced thread contacting areas for a portion of their lengths, and said reduced areas being at the initial thread take-up end of the reel.

2. A thread storing, thread advancing reel comprising, two sets of interdigitating bar members, one of said sets being positioned offset and askew to the other, said sets upon rotation cooperating in a manner so as to advance thread and the like in the form of a general helix, and both of said sets of bar members having reduced thread contacting areas for a portion of their lengths, and said reduced areas being at the initial thread take-up end of the reel.

3. A thread storing, thread advancing reel comprising two sets of interdigitating bar members, one of said bar members being offset and askew to the other, said sets of bar members when rotated cooperating in a manner so as to advance thread and the like in the form of a general helix, both of said sets of bar members having reduced thread contacting areas for a portion of their lengths, the reduced areas being at the initial reduced take-up end of the reel, and said reduced thread contacting areas being arcuate in shape.

4. A thread storing, thread advancing reel comprising, two sets of interdigit-ating bar members, one of said sets being oiiset and askew to the other, said sets cooperating in a manner so as to advance thread and the like in the form of a general helix, both of said sets of bar members having reduced thread contacting areas for a portion of their lengths, said reduced areas being at the initial thread take-up end of the reel, and said reduced bar members being tapered in the direction of the reel periphery.

5. A thread storing, thread advancing reel comprising, two sets of interdigitating bar members, one of said sets being ofiset and askew to the other, said sets cooperating in a manner so as to advance thread and the like in the form of a general helix, both of said sets of bar members having reduced thread contacting areas for a portion of their lengths, said bar members being reduced from about one-half inch in width to about one-sixteenth inch for a portion of their lengths at the initial thread take-up end of the reel.

6. A thread storing, thread advancing reel comprising, two sets of interdigitating bar members, one of said sets being offset and askew to the other, said sets cooperating in a manner so as to advance thread and the like in the form of a general helix, both of said sets of bar members having reduced thread contacting areas for a portion of their lengths, said bar members having a reduced width of about one-sixteenth inch for a portion of their lengths at the initial thread take-up end then a normal width of about between a quarter to one-half inch.

KENNETH M. McLELLAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,983,221 Furness Dec. 4, 1934 2,167,662 Lovett Aug. 1, 1939 2,210,912 Knebusch Aug. 13, 1940 2,222,817 Kline et al Nov. 26, 1940 2,243,964 Kline et al June 3, 1941 

